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Thursday, August 16. 2012Freight Car Work - August 15, 2012GOT MILK? This entry and the work have a lot to do with the Thomas Event that starts tomorrow. How, you ask? Every year, for running the Thomas Trains, a large number of passenger cars come out from storage Barn 3 for train service. Through the cooperation of the Passenger Car Collection Curator, Mike Baksic, we 'poach' that empty space for a deserving project requiring a roof overhead to complete the work.  The Crew This year that project was our Borden's Milk Tank Car, BFIX 520. The crew included Simon Harrison, Dave Rogan, Victor Humphreys, Jim Leonard on the roof, and also, not pictured John Faulhaber, Rod Turner, and Henry Vincent.  The Roof Over the years a number of repairs have been accomplished on the car, and it sees regular operation in our various special freight trains. Its first restoration paint job was done for a stillborn movie project many years ago. The upper half of the car was beginning to show its age, light rust starting to show through in several spots.  Going Up in the World Shy as I am, Jim Leonard caught me scaling the ladder to work on the roof area. We decided that in the interests of time to clean, re-prime and re-paint from the black handrail up. Not a full restoration, but it will preserve the condition of the car and buy us 5 to 10 years. Hopefully, those reading this will send buckets of money and we can subscribe to the next open barn space to save this work.  Prime Work With most of the sanding and cleaning done, we released half the crew to continue on the snowplow, while Jim Leonard and Victor applied new white primer.  Ready to Move With the primer applied it was time to protect the work in progress. A switch crew came over and coupled up to the milk car.  Put to Bed The dirty work of sanding was done outdoors, and with still wet primer the car was put to bed on Track 34. It is very satisfying to see the car moving and going inside, even temporarily. And the crew got a cab ride and some training in moving equipment on the property. A fringe benefit you could also enjoy at the end of some of the work days. Want to help? Thursday, August 16. 2012CGW X 38 Update - August 15, 2012We split the crew today and got some work done on the CGW X 38 snowplow.  The Floor Buzz Morisette tackled the job on the floor inside the rear end, completing removal of five floorboards whose ends had a lot rot near the doorways. On the north side, the framing below those boards was rotted away to a large extent, so Buzz removed that, needlechipped and primed the steel below them.  In the Cab In the cab Dave Rogan continued to work on air piping, checking for leaks and working to understand the maze of piping, valves, and fittings.  Air UP Simon Harrison monitors the pressure gauge, here approaching 50 psi. That is perfectly adequate to check for leaks and other defects before we move to the next stage. The previous week we had started the process by hooking up air to the plow and charging the brake system. The way this is designed, that train air line also serves to charge two large air tanks that supply the plow blades, and all the other devices needing air inside the car body. It charges those tanks through two parallel valves and lines - one with a flow constrictor to limit air flow. The other allows more rapid air flow, to be used when filling for the first time before the plow train leaves, but not during road service. It fills the tanks faster but takes that air from the normal train line delivery system. Why the second line that works more slowly? Dave Rogan found out when he opened the rapid fill valve to save time and 'dynamited' the brakes providing loud noise and a surprise for everyone else in the car. The second SLOW line does not steal the air from the brake system faster than a locomotive can supply it. Thursday, August 16. 2012Wood Shop Update - August 15, 2012 Cleveland PCC Rich Witt was back in the shop and helped out by applying finish paint to many of the parts needed on the roof of the 4223.  THE BIG NEWS The BIG NEWS of the day was the delivery of this pallet of castings. They are NEW brake shoes for the CSL 3142. This is one of our service cars that is reliable and sees a lot of mileage every year. As you might imagine, certain things have a way of wearing out. Notable - the brake shoes. This pic shows delivery of many shoes for that very car. It marks a milestone in a five year odyssey to get new shoes. We made a complicated pattern in our own shop, the pattern was lost at the foundry, the foundry fell on hard times and was re-organized, the pattern was found and revised after a test shoe was cast and sent to IRM, and FINALLY, we released the production order. This project certainly belongs under the header "Nothing is Ever Simple". |
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Comments
Thu, 05-16-2013 21:52
Looking good Bob! I hope to come out soon once I'm done with school.
Wed, 05-15-2013 21:28
I was not around at the time. General discussion suggests that it was "pretty marginal" in a number of areas. Nigel
Mon, 05-13-2013 11:08
"THUMBS UP!"
Fri, 05-10-2013 02:15
No, it will not be necessary to hold any of the work waiting for the plow to be turned, end for end. Weather will be the major factor, but there will [...]
Thu, 05-09-2013 19:54
The CGW X-38 plow is really coming to life. Bob Kutella and Vic and crew need to be very proud of your collective efforts. I am very appreciative of [...]
Thu, 05-09-2013 15:20
The snowplow looks great! Are you going to apply the door and upper windows befor it is turned to continue work?
Thu, 05-09-2013 09:09
Max, Is there any progress to report yet, in regards to the installation of the poles and overhead wires? Have a good day, sir.
Wed, 05-08-2013 18:40
Thanks for the update! I still don't understand why Commonwealth #5 was removed from service. Do you know why?
Tue, 05-07-2013 09:28
Mr. Kolanowski.....I was just wondering if the Spaulding webcam will be up and running soon for us stay-at-homes. Thanks!2FP
Mon, 05-06-2013 23:04
Max, Has work begun yet on the construction phase of erecting the poles and putting up the wire? Wish I could be there to watch it happen.
Mon, 05-06-2013 23:02
Keep up the good work, Bob. Wish I could be there to help!!!!!!!
Sun, 05-05-2013 18:53
Ah yes, I have made such Jibs myself. If it were me, I would add in each corner an angled piece from the base to the Jib to act as sway bracing. [...]